The Nile is the African river that flows through Cairo before reaching the Mediterranean Sea.
The Nile runs northward through northeastern Africa and forms a broad delta before entering the Mediterranean. Its principal tributaries are the White Nile, which rises in the Great Lakes region, and the Blue Nile, which begins at Lake Tana in Ethiopia. The two meet at Khartoum in Sudan.
For thousands of years, the river’s seasonal flooding deposited fertile silt across the Nile Valley. That pattern supported the growth of ancient Egyptian agriculture, cities, writing, and centralized government. Modern dams, especially the Aswan High Dam, now regulate much of the river’s flow and generate electricity, although they also changed sediment movement and flood patterns.
Cairo, Egypt’s capital, stands on the river near the beginning of the delta. The Nile is traditionally described as the world’s longest river, although measurements and definitions can produce debate with the Amazon. Regardless of that comparison, it remains one of Africa’s most historically and economically important waterways.